Fringes of Dal freeze

A man shows a piece of frozen ice at Dal lake in Srinagar on Tuesday. -Excelsior/Shakeel

Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Dec 18: An intense cold wave conditions continued in Kashmir valley and the Ladakh region today, dropping the minimum temperatures below the freezing point that led to the freezing of fringes of the Dal lake and other water bodies.
A Meteorological Department official said that dry and cold weather condition with a further drop in the night temperatures was likely to continue for another week.
The intense cold and subzero temperatures led to freezing of the fringes of Dal lake and other water bodies. The water tapes in certain areas were also frozen in the morning leading to water shortage in the morning in certain areas.
However, the Sun came out later in the morning bringing some respite from the intense cold of the night and morning
The minimum temperatures in Kargil, Leh, Pahalgam, Gulmarg and Srinagar were minus 15.8 degrees Celsius, minus 15.1 degrees Celsius, minus 7.7 degrees Celsius, minus 7.6 degrees Celsius and minus 4.6 degrees Celsius, respectively.
However, maximum day temperatures at these places were recorded at 1.8 degrees Celsius, 4.0 degrees Celsius, 8.4 degrees Celsius, 4.3 degrees Celsius and 9.7 degrees Celsius, respectively.
In the Jammu region, Jammu city recorded 5.1 degrees Celsius, Katra 6.5, Batote 3.6, Banihal 0.7 and Bhaderwah minus 0.6 degrees Celsius as the night’s lowest temperatures.
The maximum day temperatures at these places were recorded at 20.6 degrees Celsius, 19.2, 14.2, 14.7 and 12.7 degrees Celsius respectively.
This year there has been advanced winter with the snowfall in first week of November after 34 years. Last time it snowed in November in 1986.
The subzero temperatures were recorded in November this year soon after the snowfall when the chilliest part of the winter is yet to begin.
The chilliest part of the winter begins on 21st of December. The first 40 days which begin on 21st December and end on January 30 are chilliest of winter and is called Chille Kalan (Greater Chill). During this part of the winter the water bodies freeze and night temperatures mostly remain subzero.
This is followed by 20 days of Chille Khurd (Lesser Chill) and Chille Bacha (baby cold).